Automatic stop mechanism for phonographs



F. D. LEWIS. AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30.1919.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

/ hwy F. D. LEWIS. AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30,1!"9- 1,394:,776. Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 'IIIIII/l UNHTED STATES PATENT QFFECE.

FRANK D. LEWIS, 0F VTEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO PATHE FRERES PHO NOGRAPH COMPANY, .OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

' AUTOMATIC STOI 1 !IECHAI TISM FOR PHONOGBAPHS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 4

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Application filed. December 30, 1919. Serial No. 348,380.

of West Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stop Mechanism fOr Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

for phonographs. I

By the present invention the reproducing means in its movement over the record serves at a predetermined point in its movement to release a movable member, which upon being released moves under any suitable actuating force or influence as, for example, the force" of gravity, and interposes withinthepath ofemovement ofa motor actuated element, as, for example, a downwardly extending projection of the turntable, means whereby a brake or stopis operated to stop the motor. In this way the motor itself supplies the power for releasing the stopping device, and

there is practically n drag upon or interference with the free movement of the soundreproducing means. 1

The present invention is further directed to the application of such an automatic stop toa phonographof the tympanum type, in which a diaphragm of large dimension is used without a horn.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1'- is a perspective view of automatic stop mech anism embodying my invention as applied to a tympanum phonograph.

Fig. 2 is a side'view partly in section. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view showing how the automatic stop may be used Figs. '5 and 6 are planviews showing theturntable brake in retracted and released positions respectively. I

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the parts in position for lifting the gravity member, and Fig. 8 is a section on line 88, Fig. 7. V

Reference character 10 is applied to the tympanum or sound producing means, mounted in a frame 11. Frame 11 is'provided with a tubular armV12, swiveled for vertical movement on yoke 13. Through the tympanum tube 12 passes a link 14, by

will fall if not supported.

means of which vibrations are imparted from a stylus or tracking member 15, adapted to track the grooves of sound record 16 onturntable 17 to the tympanum 10. Shaft 18 ofyoke 13 is in turn mounted for rotation in the bracket 19 secured to the phonograph cabinet 20. The sound reproducing means thus has universal angular movement. My lnvention relates to automatic stops Means are provided for controlling the stop mechanism. Said means is adapted to normally turn with shaft 18, but is shiftable with respect thereto. In the form shown, shaft 18 has a tapered or conical thrust member 21 fixed thereto by'screws 22, and shaft 18 and the sound reproducing apparatus carried thereby is supported by said thrust member 21 within a hollow conical or tapered seat 23 in a finger 24, which in turn rests on bearing members, a-s the flat washers 25, 26. With this arrangement, when shaft 18 is rotated finger 24 turns with it, but if finger 24 should be held while shaft 18 is turned by tube 12, the position of the finger will be shifted or changed with respect to shaft 18and tube 12.

Finger 24 serves to control a lightly movable member which may be actuated in any convenient way. In the form shown gravity is relied on for itsactuation and for this reason the movable member. is termed herein the gravity arm. Said gravity arm is designated by reference character 27 and, like all the parts of the apparatus, is preferably made of a thin sheet metal stamping. It has downwardly bent ears on each side and a horizontal pivot pin 28 is passed through such ears and through similar ears struck up from the material of the sheet metal base 29. adapted to be screwed to the instrument board 30, and serving as a convenient baseplate, on which the various parts of the stop mechanism are mounted, so that the complete mechanism can be readily assembled together on the base plate, in advance of applying same to the phonograph.

' Thus the apparatus can be readily inc uded in original manufacture, or be subsequently applied to completed or used machines.

Gravity member 27 has a preferably part cir-ular shoe 31. wh ch overweights this end of the gravity member slightly, so that it Shoe 31 is normally supported during sound reproduction by finger 24, but the overweight of this end or the gravity arm is so slight that the finger 24 moves freely along under shoe 31 with practically no friction.

Shoe 31 has a notch 32 on its under side which is adapted to be entered or engaged by finger 24, so that when finger 24 comes under notch 32 the shoe end 27 of the gravity member 27 falls, the finger entering the notch.

The opposite end 27 of gravity member 27, which rises at such times, carries a lever 33,- having an inclined surface 34 adapted to be interposed, by upward movement of arm 27 of member 27 on which it is borne, within the path of a pin 35 extending downwardly from turntable 17, which is, of course, actuated from the phonograph motor. When arm 27 of member 27 is down. by reason of shoe 31 riding on finger 24, the lever 33 is withdrawn from the path of pin 35. A stop 33 is provided on arm 27 to limit the movement of lever 33 inwardly or toward the path of pin 35.

The turntable brake or stop lever 36 is pivoted at 37 on the base plate 29. It has an arm 38 extending outwardly beyond the turntable, by which it may be manually operated, a second arm 39 which may be used to lift end 27 of gravity arm 27 and thereby to disengage finger 24 from notch 32, and a third arm 40, which is provided with the brake shoe 41, adapted to bear against the interior of the flange on turntable 17. Spring 36 tends to turn member 36 and to bring the brakeshoe into braking or stopping position.

The arm 40 of member 36is also provided with a downwardly extending catch 42, adaptedjto' be engaged with the shoulder 43 01a notch 44 in a lever 45, so that the parts are held in the position shown in Fig. 5.

Lever 45 is pivoted to base plate 29 at 46. Itsouter arm 45' extends out beyond the turntable for manual manipulation of the lever. Its inner arm 45 is provided with an upstanding lug 47 adjacent to lever 33,

of sufiicient height to be contacted by andactuated from lever 33 in all positions of gravity arm 27. Arm 45 of lever 45 and arm 39 of stop lever 36 are spring held toward one another by the interposed con' traction spring 36.

The inner end 49 of notch 44 in lever 45 is extended beyond shoulder 43 for a sufiicient distance to permit stop lever 36 to be turned to the position shown in Fig. 7. In this position the end 50 of arm 39 engages the inclined under edge 51 of a lug 52' formed on an extension 53 of arm 27 of gravity arm 27, to lift this end of the gravity arm, if depressed, permitting the finger 24 to be disengaged from-notch 32 in shoe 3]..

The arm 27 of gravity arm 27 is formed with an inclined portion 54, and an angle lever 55 is provided pivoted fairly snugly to the base plate 29 at 56, the inner arm 55 whereof is provided with the upstanding cam shaped lug 57 adapted to engage the inclined surface 54 of gravity member 27 to lift arm 27 thereof in order to support Shoe 31 above finger 24, keeping lever 33 below pin 35 and rendering the automatic stop apparatus temporarily inoperative when not desired for use. The arm 55" of lever 55 projects outwardly beyond the turntable, so as to be conveniently located for manual manipulation. A screw .58 may be screwed into the instrument heard through the slot 59 in gravity arm 27, and its head serves as a stop to prevent unduly great upward movement of the 30 end 27 of gravity arm 27.

In Fig. 3 a finger 24 friotionally supported upon-a tone arm is shown in order to indicate one way in which the stop mechanism described herein may be applied to phonographs of the tone-arm and horn type, nd it may be applied to still other forms of sound reproducing instruments. I

To operate the apparatus (assuming that the finger 24 is in notch 32, and end 27 of gravity arm 27 is down) the tympanum tube 12 is turned so as to bring'tracking member 15 to the desired stopping point, which may be and usually is at theclose of a record, but may be at any place upon the sound record. During this movement of the tympanum tube 12 and shaft 18, finger 24 remains stationary, being held in notch 32 of shoe 31 on ravity arm 22, and the tapered thrust memer 21 turns in the seat 23 in finger 24. This relative turning or shifting movement of these parts serves to set the apparatus for the desired stopping place for the particular record. Lever 36 is now turned until stopped by the back of catch 105 42 engaging the bottom of notch extension 49 in which position end 27 of, gravity arm 27 is raised by arm 39 of lever 36 engaging the inclined Surface 51 on lug 53 of the gravity arm, (see Figs. 7 and '8) and finger 110 24 is disengaged from notch 32. The movement of lever'136 has also disengaged shoe 41 from the brake shoe flange to start the motor and it remains disengaged, lever .336 stopping when releasedwith catch 42 held by shoulder .43 in the-position of Fig. 5. The

tympanum tube 12 is turned tothe proper position upon the record for the commencement of sound reproduction and the stylus or needle is lowered thereon to playing position.

As sound reproduction takes placeqshoe 31 rides freely and lightly upon finger 24 which.

turns under it. When the stopping position is reached, for which the stop mechanism was initially set, finger 24 is under notch 32,

and the end 27 of gravity member 27 falls,

the finger entering the notch; the end 27 of member 27 rises under the influence of gra'v-.

ity acting on theslightly overweighted end 27 lever 33 is interposed in the path of pin 35, which in passing engages the inclined surface 34: of lever 33 and turns lever 33, which engages lug 47, thereby turning lever 45, freeing catch a2 from shoulder i and releasing the brake, and stopping the motor, the parts assuming the position shown in Fig. 6.

If it be desired to stop the machine before the completion of sound reproduction, the arm 45 of lever 45 is moved away from arm 38 of lever 36, whereupon the catch 42 is freed from shoulder 43 and the machine is stopped. If it be desired to use the phonograph for a time without the automatic stop feature, the lever 55 is operated to raise and hold the member 27 to such-position that the shoe 31 is supported above and does not coact with finger 24, and to restore the same, lever 55 is moved in the opposite direction. When the automatic stop feature is dispensed with, handles 38 and 45 are used respectively for starting and stopping the phonograph in the usual manner. The lever 55 may also be used to raise end 27 of gravity arm 27 and thereby disengage finger 24 from notch 32 at any time when it is not desirable to make use of lever 36 for this purpose because of its other functions.

The construction shown is for the purpose of affording an understanding of my invention and not for limitation. Changes and modifications may be resorted to within the scope of my claims without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

I claim:

1. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, stop control means having a taper seat, and sound reproducing means supported by said control means and having a taper bearing in said seat.

2. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, a stop control finger having a taper seat therein, sound reproducing means, a shaft therefor, and a taper bearing for said shaft received and supported in said taper seat.

3. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, stop control means, sound reproducing means, and a connection therebetween comprising a tapered member received in a tapered seat.

4;. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, a rotatable stop control member, sound reproducing means of the tympanum type and comprising a shaft, and a friction bearing for said shaft in said control member.

5. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, sound reproducing means including a tympanum, a tympanum frame and tube, a yoke in which said tube is mounted, a substantially vertical yoke shaft, a tapered bearing on said shaft, a stop control finger having an opening for said shaft, and a tapered seat for receiving said tapered collar.

6. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, a movable member, control means therefor actuated by travel of the sound reproducing means across a record, a brake lever and retaining means therefor, a motor actuated element, means for releasing said brake lever from its retaining means interposable by movement of said movable memher into the path of said motor actuated element,and an extension on said brake lever for operating said movable member.

7. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, a pivoted gravity arm, a brake lever, means for holding it retracted, means controlled by the gravity arm for. releasing the brake lever, and an extension on the brake leverfor turning the gravity. arm on its pivot.

8. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, a brake for stopping the motor, an operating handle therefor, means for setting the brake to stop the motor including a gravity arm, and means directly connected to move with said handle for lifting the gravity arm.

9. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, a brake lever, brake operating means comprising a gravity arm and a control member therefor, adapted to be engaged thereby, and means on said brake lever for disengaging the control member from the gravity arm.

10. In automatic stop mechanism for phonographs, sound reproducing means, Stop control means movable therewith, a gravity arm normally adapted to coact with said stop control means and having a cam like surface, and a lever having means to engage said inclined surface and to lift said gravity arm and support it above said control means, whereby the automatic operation of the stop mechanism is dispensed with when desired.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I hereto set my hand, this 23rd day of December, 1919.

FRANK 1). LEWIS. 

